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Check if you need planning permission

Lawful development certificate

For peace of mind that an existing or proposed use of a building is lawful or that the proposal doesn’t require planning permission, you can apply for a lawful development certificate (LDC).

It is a legal document which proves the lawfulness of past, present or future building use. If granted, it means that enforcement action cannot be carried out to the development referred to in the certificate.

However, the certificate will not protect from enforcement action if the specified use is then changed 'materially' without a planning application for it.

Examples of when you might apply for an LDC include:

when enforcement action is taken and the owner believes it is immune because the time limit for enforcement action has passed.

when an owner discovers, in the course of a sale, that planning permission has never been granted, and needs to show a prospective purchaser that no enforcement action can be taken.